STATEMENT
OF
VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA
SUBMITTED BY
RICHARD WEIDMANDIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
BEFORE THE
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE ON BENEFITS
AND THE SMALL BUSINESS SUBCOMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS
REGARDING
"VETERANS ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1999"
P.L. 106-50
MARCH 14, 2000
Mr. Chairman, my name is Rick Weidman, and I serve as Director of Government Relations for Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA). On behalf of our President, George C. Duggins, and all of VVA I thank you for the opportunity to appear here today.
I should also note, Chairman Bartlett and Chairman Quinn, that I also serve as Chairman of the "Task Force on Veterans’ Entrepreneurship", which is the vehicle for coordinated action of most of the organized veterans community that is committed to greater opportunities for veterans, particularly disabled veterans, to enter and succeed in small business and self employment. I also have served as the first ever representative of the veterans community on the Administrator’s National Advisory Council since November of 1998.
First let me say that Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) wishes to thank you, Chairman Talent and Ranking Democrat Velasquez of the Committee on Small Business, and Chairman Stump and Ranking Democrat Lane Evans of the Committee on Veterans Affairs for the extraordinary leadership, vision, and hard work that all of you and so many of your distinguished colleagues, as well as your fine and highly dedicated staff members, exerted to achieve enactment of the "Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business development Act of 1999," now known as Public Law (P.L.) 106-50.
VVA and all of us in the veterans community salute all of you for a job well done in securing the first meaningful "beach head" for veteran business owners on the shores of the Federal Government that our military service made possible. However, now that we have a "beach head," it is time to ensure that the resources and the will to move forward are present in sufficient quantity that we can consolidate these initial gains, and accomplish the objective of making the bright promise of last year’s legislation into a reality for disabled veteran business owners and veteran business owners this year and into the future.
Second, and more specifically, we need the funds to make the Office of Veterans’ Affairs work properly (especially now that this effort will be headed by an Associate Deputy Administrator), and we need the full authorized amounts for FY 2000 and FY 2001 for the "National Veterans Business Development Corporation" (Corporation) to be appropriated. That means $2 Million for the Corporation in the supplemental appropriation to FY 2000 now being considered, and $4 Million for the Corporation for FY 2001. In addition, the Office of Veterans Affairs will require about $4.8 Million to operate a reasonably effective outreach program in FY 2001 and to assist the rest of the Small Business Administration (SBA) structure to understand what is entailed in fully implementing P.L. 106-50.
It is vital that these funds be secured, by whatever legislative tactics and/or mechanisms that are necessary. Although VVA and the other veterans organizations have reached out to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary & Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations, the response from the Committee has not been reassuring. In fact, to our surprise, given the stature of Chairman Rogers, the response from staff members has not been particularly positive, if indeed not seemingly what could be construed as disdainful of the needs of veteran and disabled veteran business owners in regard to appropriated funds at SBA.
VVA asks that all of the distinguished Members who have invested so much to get us this far now do whatever is necessary to secure the proper funding. We ask the assistance of you and your colleagues and the leadership on both sides of the aisle in order to help the Appropriations Committee understand that appropriating these modest amounts is the very least that they can and must do for America’s disabled veterans.
We would prefer that this all happen at the Subcommittee level, or at least at the full Committee level. However, if all else does not get the job done, and it means that a parliamentary battle must take place on the floor of the House of Representatives, then we urge you to make that effort, should it be necessary.
Mr. Chairman, please let us know what we in the veterans community can do to assist you in to ensure that the bright promise of P.L. 106-50 becomes a reality by securing the necessary "seed capital." We await marching orders from you and your colleagues, and pledge to do our part to help you and the Congress ensure that the proper funds are made available. Without proper investment of these appropriated funds (and very modest amounts they are!) then P.L 106-50 will become one more hollow promise. We know that your intent is just the opposite - that P.L 106-50 make good the promise of assisting veterans, especially disabled veterans, to have every opportunity and services possible to help them compete for their piece of the American dream, strengthening the United States economy in the process.
Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) also asks for your assistance toward ensuring that the process of appointing the members for the Board of directors of the National Veterans Business Development Corporation proceeds apace. Since the Congress recommended a composite list of names of quality candidates that reflect both political parties and the full diversity of the American veterans community on a bi-partisan basis in early October, we fail to understand why the Board has not yet been appointed. Once this is accomplished, then the Administrator of the Small Business Administration can proceed with naming the members of the Advisory committee, and hopefully, name the new Associate Deputy Administrator for Veterans Business Development.
There are really six major aspects to implementing P.L. 106-50. The first is securing the necessary appropriations. The second is the full and timely implementation of the National Veterans Business Development Corporation, as discussed above. Third is the naming of the new Associate Deputy Administrator for Veterans Business Development, who is expected to work with his/her colleagues and the Administrator to ensure that all of the reporting and educational requirements are accomplished successfully within SBA to ensure that veterans, especially disabled veterans, are included in a significant way as a target group of each and every program delivered or funded in whole or in part by the Small Business Administration.
A crucial aspect of this element is that the SBA move rapidly to develop and implement meaningful and substantive goals and objectives for disabled veteran and veteran participation that are measurable and in conformance with the letter and the spirit of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) for each and every aspect of SBA activity, from guaranteed loans to entrepreneurial development to procurement to the micro-loan ("low-doc") to the proposed initiatives such as the "New Markets Initiative" to the activities of the Small Business Development Centers to any program or activity that one can name that is under the rubric of the SBA. The first step in this process is ensuring that the data gathering mechanisms are in place, and that managers and other personnel, such as all District Office Directors are made aware that the Administrator and the Congress view this effort seriously. This effort needs to move along quickly, but has not so much as really even begun, to our knowledge. The obvious (to us) next step to setting measurable goals and performance standards is to reward those who meet or exceed expectations and to provide sanctions for those who fail to measure up, even after counseling and training. The marketplace is very quick to reward good performance and sanction poor performance, and the SBA should do the same.
The fourth element in full implementation of P.L. 106-50 is to ensure that the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) are modified in an appropriate manner, and that this process moves through the public comment phase to actual implementation as soon as possible. Anything that the Congress, the President, or the Vice President can do to ensure that this process is completed as soon as possible would hasten the day when the real work of working with procurement officers throughout the government can begin. This process has been moving at glacial speed since last August, prompting some to read great significance and intent in this unwarranted delay and to understandably cry out that "Regulations delayed is justice denied!"
Any assistance that Congress can provide in prompting a more prompt completion of this process would be welcome. Perhaps a bi-partisan letter to the President and the Vice President would help focus the appropriate persons on the need for all due and deliberate speed in completing this process.
The fifth element of a full implementation of P.L. 106-50 is to ensure that members of the National Guard and the Reserves who are self employed or in small business know their rights under this statute, and that all Department of Defense and United States Department of Labor means are being adroitly utilized to inform these patriotic Americans of their rights under this act. What this section of the Act really is about is providing the equivalent of the Uniformed Servicemembers Employment and Re-employment Rights Act (USERRA) for those who are self employed or small business owner/operators.
The draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that has now been shared with the Task Force on Veterans Entrepreneurship does not adequately address this need, nor the intent of the statute. Perhaps some re-working of this draft agreement, with appropriate consultation with the Committees and the veterans organizations would be useful and productive. VVA would certainly be delighted to assist in such an effort, as we suspect Non Commissioned Officers Association and most others would as well.
The sixth element to full implementation of this statute is the aspect of self employment possibilities and potential of disabled veterans, particularly seriously and profoundly disabled veterans. We do not see this vital element even reflected in the two memoranda of understand draft documents that we have reviewed. This does not even address the need for helping to develop self employment opportunities and assistance for so many veterans who have overcome significant barriers to employment, but who now have resumes that are less than perfect and/or are of an age that causes many employers to look toward younger workers.
This need has prompted the Task Force on Veterans Entrepreneurship to contemplate calling for a MOU between the SBA, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the President’s Committee on the Employment of Persons with Disabilities. This matter will be fully considered this afternoon, at the monthly Task Force meeting.
The fact of the matter is that for many veterans the best hope for full time meaningful employment lies with self employment or "micro business" that (if they are lucky, get proper assistance, and are talented and very hard working) may grow into a successful small business.
Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) believes strongly that the ability to obtain and sustain meaningful work is the nexus or watershed event in the readjustment process. Our nation spends literally Billions each year on medical services, readjustment counseling, vocational rehabilitation, educational benefits, and other services to help veterans toward becoming well and to the brink of becoming autonomous and self sufficient. If we do not help them either get a job or help them acquire the skills and the tools and the means necessary to succeed in small business, these efforts will go for naught. Then we will have wasted billions of dollars, and more importantly thousands upon thousands of veterans lives that might otherwise have taken a more positive turn at the earliest possible time . This is not right, and is morally and financially foolish. It is also squandering a great National resource in the fine men and women who have chosen to serve our Nation in military service, often at great cost to them as individuals. These are "can do" people. If properly trained, equipped, and briefed, veterans can get the civilian mission done as well as they performed military missions.
It is because VVA recognizes the centrality of "wellness" and self sufficiency to this process that VVA is so grateful of all of you in the Congress for securing enactment of Public Law 106-50. It is also why we are so grateful to Chairman Quinn for his efforts to produce a bill this session that will moves us toward a more effective means of assisting veterans, particularly disabled veterans get the kinds of employment & training services that actually help them get and keep a job, or which lead to succeeding in self employment or small business.
Mr. Chairman, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) is very grateful for all that these two Committees have done and are doing to help veterans achieve a higher degree of self sufficiency, particularly in regard to the development and passage of the legislation that became P.L. 106-50. However, if there is to be a positive impact that is meaningful, we ask that you join with us in pressing hard for prompt publishing of procurement regulations, movement toward good appointments to key positions without further delay, development and implementation of meaningful measures of success for veterans and disabled veterans in each and every SBA program, and your assistance in keeping open the lines of communication between the Task Force for Veterans Entrepreneurship and the Administration, and .....we need the full amount of money that is authorized to be appropriated.
Mr. Chairman, there is one last issue that we must bring to your attention. In the Fall of 1997, Congress mandated SBA to do a simple study of disabled veteran business owners who do business or potentially might do business with the Federal government. Dr. Paul R. Camacho and the University of Massachusetts at Boston have been trying to work with the SBA to get this study underway and completed since January of 1998. This study was, of course, due to be delivered to the Congress in September of 1998. The study had been in limbo for almost a year due to problems with the Office of Management & Budget analysts that SBA did not have the skill or will to resolve. Last month, with help from key staff on the Committee on Small Business, we thought we might actually have something underway that could produce data and analyses which would prove to be useful to all concerned. However, this process has become mired in bureaucratic red tape again.
At some point any reasonable person must at least contemplate that this delay upon delay is simply willful thwarting of the bi-partisan will of the Congress. At some point, one has to consider whether or not SBA just does not want this study done. If this is the case, then those of us who are interested will assist Dr. Camacho to seek and secure private funds before we waste additional precious years in bureaucratic nonsense, with no results to show for it. Should that have to be the case, in order to assist the Congress in obtaining the information that it mandated and funded the SBA to secure, the VVA certainly thinks it would be appropriate for a thorough inquiry by the Comptroller General into this matter, and an oversight hearing solely on the issue of gathering of data for this mandated report, and the statistical profile (or lack thereof) of veteran and disabled veteran business owners.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes our formal statement. I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have. Again, let me note that Vietnam Veterans of America is deeply grateful to you for your continued leadership, and all of your efforts to ensure that veterans have every opportunity to compete for their share of the American dream of successfully owning and operating their own business.
VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA
Funding Statement
March 14, 2000
The national organization Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) is a non-profit veterans membership organization registered as a 501(c)(19) with the Internal Revenue Service. VVA is also appropriately registered with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives in compliance with the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.
VVA is not currently in receipt of any federal grant or contract, other than the routine allocation of office space and associated resources in VA Regional Offices for outreach and direct services through its Veterans Benefits Program (Service Representatives). This is also true of the previous two fiscal years.
For Further Information, Contact:
Director of Government Relations
Vietnam Veterans of America.
(202) 628-2700, extension 127
RICK WEIDMAN
Rick Weidman serves as Director of Government Relations on the National Staff of Vietnam Veterans of America. He served as a medic with Company C, 23rd Med, Americal Division, located in I Corps of Vietnam in 1969.
Weidman was a part of the staff of VVA from 1979 to 1987, serving variously as Membership Services Director, Agency Liaison, and Director of Government Relations. He left VVA to serve in the Administration of Governor Mario M. Cuomo (NY) as Director of Veterans Employment &
Training for the New York State Department of Labor.
He has served as Consultant on Legislative Affairs to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, and served at various times on the VA Readjustment Advisory Committee, the Secretary of Labor's Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment & Training, the President's Committee on
Employment of Persons with Disaffiliates on Disabled Veterans, Advisory Committees on veterans' entrepreneurship at the Small Business Administration, and numerous other advocacy posts in veterans affairs.
Weidman was an instructor and administrator at Johnson State College (Vermont) in the 1970s, where he was also active in community and veterans affairs. He attended Colgate University B.A., (1967), and did graduate study at the University of Vermont .
He is married and has four children.
E-mail us at govtrelations@vva.org